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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: clip · face · current · firm · deal · pitch · rush · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. face — to confront
  3. current — electric
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. current — happening now
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. deal — to handle
  8. can — a tin
  9. pitch — completely
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. rush — hurry
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. face — part of the head
  14. firm — a company
  15. can — to be able to
  16. clip — for paper
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. clip — to cut
  19. firm — steady
  20. clip — a video
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. firm — decided
  23. face — to point toward
  24. current — of water

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com